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- Day 1 Welcome to the Eternal City of Rome Welcome to Rome, a glorious city filled with classic antiquities, medieval buildings, Renaissance palaces and baroque churches. Settle in, before meeting your Travel Director. Later today, get to know your fellow travelers over Roman-specialties dinner at a local restaurant. Locations Visited: Rome IT.
- Day 2 Rome with the Locals Rome is about art, antiquity, piazzas and palaces, and our guided walk with a Local Expert has it in abundance. Sightsee the local way, with a leisurely passeggiata through the backstreets, where a friend in Rome will explain how modern life takes place. Cross the Tiber river to enjoy ancient Rome. Enter the Colosseum and imagine the roar of the spectators as you hear stories of how ancient Romans liked to be entertained. Locations Visited: Rome IT.
- Day 3 Rome to Sorrento As you leave the bustling streets of Rome behind, you enter the peaceful charm of the Italian countryside. The roads wind through sun-dappled hills, where fields of golden wheat and rows of olive trees stretch endlessly under a brilliant blue sky. Small villages dot the landscape, their stone houses nestled against rolling hills, offering a glimpse into authentic Italian life and the air carries the scent of wildflowers and citrus groves. The journey southward reveals itself like a beautiful postcard, with views of the sparkling Mediterranean beginning to emerge in the distance. As you approach Sorrento, the dramatic cliffs and coastal views unfold, the town’s pastel-colored buildings perched above the shimmering sea, welcoming you to this idyllic coastal paradise. Locations Visited: Rome IT, Sorrento IT.
- Day 4 Capri, the Isle of Dreams The impossibly blue sea welcomes you to the sun-drenched island of Capri as you cruise by jetfoil. On arrival, meet your Local Expert for an orientation walk through the narrow alleyways. Explore Capri with Insight Choice. Choose to visit the immaculate Gardens of Augustus with a Local Expert and admire the views over the Faraglioni Rocks. Alternatively, enjoy a tasting of limoncello, Capri’s famous lemon liqueur. Locations Visited: Sorrento IT, Capri IT, Sorrento IT.
- Day 5 Pompeii and Alberobello Start your day in Pompeii, buried in AD 79 by the historic eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Walk with your Local Expert through the cobbled streets to see a city frozen in time. Then venture on to Alberobello. Locations Visited: Sorrento IT, Pompeii IT, Alberobello IT.
- Day 6 The Trulli of Alberobello Join a Local Expert to explore one of Italy’s many UNESCO World Heritage Sites — the unique trulli of Alberobello, circular limestone dwellings with domed interiors and distinctive conical roofs, ingeniously built without mortar. You may also opt to join our Local Expert for an exploration of Ostuni, a whitewashed town that echoes the charm of a North African Arab Medina. Stroll through its winding cobbled streets and admire its striking architecture. In the evening, enjoy a Farm-to-Table dinner, showcasing traditional Apulian dishes made with seasonal produce. Locations Visited: Alberobello IT.
- Day 7 Alberobello at Leisure Today is yours to enjoy at leisure or unwind and make the most of the exceptional amenities at your remarkable hotel. You can also choose to discover cliffside Polignano a Mare with a Local Expert, enjoying Adriatic views and a stroll through the historic hometown of Volare singer Domenico Modugno. Locations Visited: Alberobello IT.
- Day 8 Journey West to Matera Visit Matera with a Local Expert for an in-depth exploration of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Sassi - a labyrinth of cave dwellings, churches, staircases and arches, hewn out of the solid rock. You may recognize Matera as the biblical backdrop for the film ‘The Passion of the Christ.’ Continue to the small village of Grottole. Once a thriving community, it has lost most of its activity and population. Meet Andrea, a local striving to bring back the area's traditional way of living. On this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience explore the historic old town to learn about the fascinating history of the village and enjoy an aperitif with local snacks helping to preserve the culture. Locations Visited: Alberobello IT, Matera IT.
- Day 9 To Sicily and the Taormina Riviera In the morning, travel along the Violet Coast to the very toe of Italy and board your ferry bound for Sicily, across the Strait of Messina. According to Grecian legend, this was home to the mythical sea monsters Scylla, a six-headed rock monster, and Charybdis, a whirlpool, based on either side of the strait. Together, they posed an inescapable threat to passing seafarers as avoiding one meant passing too close to the other. You will soon arrive at your hotel where you will spend three glorious nights on the Taormina Riviera. Join a Local Expert for a visit to the Greek Theater of Taormina, graced with the most spectacular of backdrops. Stroll along the elegant Corso Umberto to the Piazza IX Aprile and admire the panoramic views and hews of blue from the sky to the azure sea. Later, take your pick of specially selected restaurants for your Dine-Around evening. Locations Visited: Matera IT, Taormina IT, Giardini Naxos IT.
- Day 10 Free Time on the Taormina Riviera The day is at leisure to relax at your resort's private beach, or perhaps explore the medieval quarter? Don't miss the chance of an optional drive through the national park to Mount Etna, Europe's largest volcano. Locations Visited: Giardini Naxos IT.
- Day 11 A New Dawn in Sicily Early risers may experience what D.H. Lawrence christened the ‘dawn coast of Europe'. The day is free to explore at your leisure, or to embark on an Optional Experience to Syracuse. Locations Visited: Giardini Naxos IT.
- Day 12 Agrigento, the Valley of the Temples and on to Palermo Drive to Agrigento and explore the Valley of the Temples with a Local Expert. See the massive Temple of Concord and clifftop Temple of Juno, overlooking the sea. In the afternoon, continue to the Sicilian capital of Palermo. Locations Visited: Giardini Naxos IT, Agrigento IT, Palermo IT.
- Day 13 Palermo and the Golden Age of the Normans Join a historian on a guided walk to see the gems of the old city. Visit the amazing Palatine Chapel in the Palace of the Normans. Outside, there are few clues to its astonishing interior, completely covered in glittering 12th-century mosaics. Continue to the Palermo Cathedral which has been altered over the years and observe its unique blend of architectural styles. In the afternoon, there is free time to explore or shop in Palermo or continue sightseeing. In the evening, join your fellow guests and Travel Director at a local restaurant for a dinner of delicious local cuisine and wine. Locations Visited: Palermo IT.
- Day 14 Depart Palermo Your journey draws to an end. Departure transfers arrive at Palermo Falcone–Borsellino Airport. Locations Visited: Palermo IT.
Name: Country Roads of Southern Italy & Sicily
Brand: Insight
Quality: Superior First Class
Tour Type: Escorted
Start City: Rome
End City: Palermo
Location Summary: Rome, IT
Sorrento, IT
Capri, IT
Pompeii, IT
Alberobello, IT
Matera, IT
Taormina, IT
Giardini Naxos, IT
Agrigento, IT
Palermo, IT
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Highlights
- Dining Summary - 7 Dinner (D). 13 Breakfast (B).
- Authentic Dining - Rome: Savor dinner at a uniquely Roman restaurant, offering a perfect exploration of Lazio's typical flavors.. Alberobello: Savor a freshly prepared Farm-to-Table meal featuring recipes and flavors typical of the region.. Taormina: Choose from our handpicked selection of local restaurants for your Dine-Around Evening, each with its own ambience and distinctive cuisine.. Palermo: Experience local customs as you delve into tantalizing flavors and rustic dishes served with local wine..
- Top Rated Highlights - Rome: Sightsee the local way, with a leisurely passeggiata through the backstreets, where a friend in Rome will explain how modern life takes place, around ancient treasures like the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon and Piazza Navona. . Sorrento: Perched upon the cliffs, lookout to see the mighty Mount Vesuvius across the Bay of Naples.. Capri: Cruise by jetfoil to this famous isle through beautiful blue Mediterranean waters.. Pompeii: Walk with a Local Expert through the cobbled streets of this ill-fated town, frozen in time since the first century.. Alberobello: Led by a Local Expert, explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site showcasing the Trulli of Alberobello. Circular structures with conical roofs that are domed within, built from local limestone and stacked without using mortar.. Matera: With your Local Expert, visit the famous Sassi or cave dwellings, which were home to approximately 20,000 people until 1950s and are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.. Taormina: Visit Taormina’s ancient amphitheater with your Local Expert. Carved from honey-colored stone and set high on the cliff, the theater frames wide views of the Ionian Sea and the distant rise of Mount Etna through its weathered arches.. Agrigento: Explore the Valley of the Temples and its impressive Hellenistic ruins like the well-preserved Temple of Concordia and the clifftop Temple of Juno overlooking the Sicilian landscape..
- Insight Experiences - Rome: Follow in the footsteps of gladiators for a deeper insight into life in ancient Rome when you enter the Colosseum..
- Insight Choice - Capri: Discover the luxuriant Gardens of Augustus with a Local Expert and admire views of the Faraglioni rocks.. Capri: Learn about local traditions as you enjoy a tasting of limoncello..
- Make Travel Matter - Grottole: Participate in the fascinating Wonder Grottole Project. This regeneration initiative works to rehabilitate the abandoned historic center and preserve village life. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.. Grottole: Over a delicious lunch accompanied by wine , participate in the Wonder Grottole project, a regeneration initiative that works to rehabilitate the abandoned historic center of Grottole, preserve traditional village life and create new community. Learn how the small of town of Grottole, crossed by the Appian Way, was once a crossroads of people and economies from north to south. As its former inhabitants have sought work in larger cities or abroad, the population of Grottole’s historical center decreased. Wonder Grottole is now reenergising the town through experiences with local products from honey to olive oil. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities..
- Choice Highlights - Choose between two carefully selected activities. Capri: Discover the luxuriant Gardens of Augustus with a Local Expert and admire views of the Faraglioni rocks.. Capri: Learn about local traditions as you enjoy a tasting of limoncello..
